Virtual reality is going to redefine the way we connect with the world. 2016 is already being called the year of Virtual Reality. It is finding its applications in various fields be it education, defense, healthcare or entertainment. Here are some of the ways in which Virtual reality will transform our lives:

Education

Virtual reality can introduce some really effective methods of teaching children. It will make it possible to provide them with immersive content which produces an impact on the minds of the young ones. Students will get to go on virtual field trips not just to places which are too distant or expensive to visit but also to some important moments in time.

They’ll get to experience a whole event in the past just by putting on their VR helmets. This is much more engaging than just reading out from a textbook.

Movies

VR will make it possible to design environments in which we can immerse ourselves in the landscapes. Cinemas are investing in a VR premium experience with HD resolution, 4D effects and haptic feedback. We’ll see some incredible application of this technology for entertaining us in cinemas as well as our homes.

Shopping Experience

Virtual reality will push the boundaries of product visualization. It allows you to get a sense of depth, so, you can easily browse through cars or furniture while you’re sitting at your home. You can even analyze the look and feel of your house before building it. VR lets you have a better sense of what you’re buying by immersing you into the environment which you can control.

Healthcare

Healthcare is using virtual reality in the treatment of a range of medical conditions. People with PTSD are being treated by using VR to build environments replicating their traumatic moments. It helps the patients in repeatedly confronting their difficult memories.

Journalism

News reporters are using virtual reality for “immersive journalism” where they can make their viewers experience the moments with them. They are using it to recreate moments like bomb explosions bringing viewers in the middle of the war zone. VR will transform the way we consume news making us more empathetic to the situations.

Architecture

Virtual Reality will enable architects to represent unfinished buildings to their clients and in the way they are planned to look. They could bring the clients along for hyper-realistic walk-throughs for constructions which are in progress and can also make adjustments in the designs. Efforts are being made in building a collaborative virtual environment so that the whole team of engineers, architects and artists to design a building together.

Defense

Virtual reality has a lot of applications in the military. Soldiers are being trained to detect explosive devices and submariners can also be trained using Virtual Reality. Virtual and augmented reality systems are being developed to train future command and control concepts. Rift headset can improve tank drivers’ visibility and enable them to see as if they are outdoors.

The Bottom Line

Virtual reality will influence our lives in a number of ways and is very less likely to pose any problems for us in the future. But this is the type of technology which will evolve over time and might throw in some issues. It might give birth to some psychological problems and people are already concerned about some moral and ethical aspects revolving around this technology.